Tom In August 2018, unprecedented floods swept across the state of Kerala in India resulting in over 400 people dead and 14 people missing. Described as the worst floods in a hundred years, the Kerala floods of 2018 also massively disrupted the tourism industry. As we were preparing for our trip in December, we were both excited yet anxious, not knowing what the situation on the ground was. After scouring through the net, we found this video which gave a positive indication that Kerala was back in business (#KeralaIsOpen)…
Though the video was a good sign, it was during our trip that we confirmed that Kerala is indeed open and that tourists have finally returned, bringing much needed income back to the state. In this post, we’ll show you the actual situation on the ground in the state of Kerala after the floods. In particular, we visited the hill stations of Munnar, the backwaters of Kerala (via the Alleppey Houseboat) as well as the city of Kochi…
Kerala Is Back in Business – Munnar Hill Station
After the floods in 2018, we started our travels in Kerala at Munnar. Upon arrival at Kochi airport, we drove straight to Munnar, famous for its scenic hill stations. Our first stop was the Eravikulam National Park where we were greeted by this amazing view of the tea plantations…
Throughout the trip, we did not notice anything out of the norm. People were out and about doing their business. If there were any scars left from the floods, it was no where to be found. Normalcy had returned to Kerala. Indian tourists also flooded back to Munnar as we saw many other tourists taking photos at the majestic Cheeyappara Waterfalls.
In the evening, we settled in at a gorgeous hotel known as The Leaf Munnar. We were pleasantly surprised by the dinner that was included in the price of the hotel. Due to the low visitorship, buffet dinner was not available but guests were able to order ANYTHING on the menu. ANYTHING! Hence, we ordered The Leaf Signature Tandoori Platter which included 3 types of tandoori chicken, fish, prawns, paneer and vegetables. Yum!
In the morning, we were also greeted by spectacular views of the hills of Munnar by the pool at The Leaf Munnar…
Next, we headed to Alleppey (also known as Alappuzha) to spend the night along the scenic backwaters of Kerala…
Kerala Is Open – Alleppey Houseboat (Backwaters of Kerala)
One of the most badly hit regions during the flood was Alleppey. After the floods, it was reported that houseboats had difficulty attracting customers back and that there were many houseboats sitting empty along the backwaters of Kerala.
Though we saw many empty houseboats along the banks, we also saw several back in operation along the backwaters of Kerala. At the various stops (massage center, seafood market), there were also other tourists who visited, signalling that tourists are also starting to return to Alleppey.
Life also returned to normalcy for the villagers – another good indication to tourists like us that we can once again visit the natural beauty that Kerala offers! 🙂
Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty – Best Luxury Hotel in Kochi Kerala
Thanks to the great folks at Grand Hyatt, we were able to visit the Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty as we drew towards the end of our travels in Kerala. It was simply amazing! The facilities were luxurious and the views of the backwaters (even from our room) was breath-taking…
We also visited the city of Kochi as well as the beaches here. It was bustling!
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Conclusion
Kerala is indeed open and back in business. During our visit to Kerala, we visited Munnar, Alleppey and Kochi and we found little signs of the aftermath of the Kerala floods of 2018. Everything is back to normalcy. If you’re planning a visit to India, especially Kerala, well…go ahead!
Enjoy your travels in Kerala – the beautiful scenic landscapes of South India!
